2004 trials

To look at the effectiveness of grinding our local limesands and comparing the changes in soil pH against unground lime.

To examine the value of canopy management in the Mallee environment.

To examine the value of canopy management in the Wimmera environment.

To test the accuracy of alkaline and acid tests on soil labs.

To investigate herbicide control options for brome grass control in direct drilled wheat in the Mallee.

To test the six new varieties will be marketed in Victoria in 2005.

To investigate the effects of soil type and climate on the yield of commercial varieties and advanced breeding lines in Victoria and thereby assist in the selection of superior varieties for farmers in this state.

To identify some herbicide options for controlling Rosinweed.

To compare three direct drill seeders for wheat crop establishment; crop yield; and incorporation efficiency of group D herbicides.

To investigate some practical options for direct drilling wheat into wheat stubbles in the Mallee.

• To assess the biodiversity values of stock water points in the Wimmera Mallee Channel/Dam region and the Northern Mallee Pipeline region.
• To determine whether biodiversity and the environmental values of open water can be maintained in a farming landscape through the use of purpose-built water points for wildlife.
• To develop guidelines for farmers and industry on the use of water points for best management of wildlife within a piped water delivery system.

To sample fauna distribution, abundance and habitat use at the different water access points.

To report on the Farming Systems trial.

• To compare performance of four different farming systems, over the years 2003-08, using prices appropriate for 2009.
• To use a machinery inventory and relevant costings compared with contract pricing for operations.

To deal with fertiliser types and rates, and also how they can be applied and when, and what other factors need to be considered.

To test for field evidence for efficiency of fluid fertilisers.

• To compare field pea variety performance for Victoria’s grain growing regions.
• To assess the relative performance of advanced breeding lines identified as potential commercial releases by the national field pea breeding program.

To increase our understanding of how relative grain yields in different parts of a paddock in the Mallee region vary year to year (and between crop types) and how these changes are related to soil type and seasonal rainfall.

To show a range of strategies that minimise frost risk.

To examine the value of foliar fungicides for winter barley in the Mallee and Wimmera environments.

To examine the value of foliar fungicides in the Mallee and Wimmera.

• To identify within paddock variability (subsoil limitations) and its effects on production and recharge.
• To identify different paddock ‘zones’ and the effect of rainfall (amount and distribution) on production.

To test the effects of subsoil remediation on crop water use and yield.

To test the effects of subsoil remediation on crop water use and yield.

To discuss the common questions of are: ‘Is this dry spell a permanent feature? Is it just due to chance? Is it a periodic event?’

To investigate the effects of soil type and climate on the yield of commercial varieties and advanced breeding lines in Victoria and thereby assist in the selection of superior varieties fro farmers in this state.

To investigate the metribuzin tolerance of a new wheat variety from WA (Eaglerock) and compare it to Yitpi .

To assess the long-term impact of a range of P fertiliser rates on crop yield and economic returns

To identify the most economical rate of phosphorus usage in a southern Mallee cropping system over time. 

To establish the most economical rate of phosphorus usage in a southern Mallee cropping systems over time.

To extend work carried out in 2003 (converting rainfall into dollars) and investigate the effect of rainfall on farm gross income in the southern Mallee and Wimmera.

To develop risk management tools which will assist farmers to make better decisions in relation to optimising inputs in line with seasonal outcomes.

To discuss how to manage risks in cropping.

To conduct a chickpea demonstration.

To investigate the effect of seeding rate and nitrogen rate on oats for hay production.

To investigate pre-sowing options for the control of group A resistant ryegrass.

To assess seeding rates in wheat and barley for optimum production and grain quality.

To assess seeding rates in wheat and barley for optimum production and grain quality.

To reflect on sheep, crops and a month in spring.

To provide a guide on the main agronomic measures to control stripe rust.

To assess the impact of (i) seed dressings, (ii) fungicide applied in furrow, and (iii) foliar applied fungicides on controlling stripe rust in two wheat varieties.

To present the 'greenhouse story'.

To discuss whether the Southern Oscillation Index is useful as a rainfall predictor for the Southern Mallee.

It is relatively easy to describe a particular year on one’s own farm. To specify precisely what happened over our whole region is the challenging part. Far more difficult is to accurately describe the feelings of the farmers, not to mention those of their partners: the hopes, expectations, commitment, hard work, disappointments and the consequences of what happened.

To discuss ‘tillage rotation’ as a way to rehabilitate compacted subsoil and increase yield and profit.

To investigate the effects of seeding rate and nitrogen rate on triticale.

To investigate whether liquid N as UAN is a better and more reliable source of N compared to using granular urea.

To assess the relative tolerance of new field pea and chickpea cultivars of to a range of commonly used herbicides.